Invalid-bed.



J. H. comm.

I INVALID BED.

v AYPLIGATION FILED MAR. 6, 1909.

941,620. Patented Nov. 30,1909.

3 SHEETS-BEBE? 1.

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INVALID BED.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.5, 19o9.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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INVALID BED.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.5, 1909.

.llllvllill hwooeo JAMES H. COMER, OF COMERS ROCK, VIRGINIA.

IN VALID-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

Application filed March 5, 1909. Serial N 0. 481,279.

H. OoMER, a

beds for the use of invalids, and it consistsof the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

One object of the invention is to provide a bed having devices by meansof which an invalid or other occupant may be readily raised or loweredor supported in any in-- clined position without touching him with thehands.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved adjustablecarrying frame, an improved adjustable table for use on the same and animproved adjustable back rest.

The above and other objects of the invention are attained in thepreferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved bed;Fig. 2 is a top plan view; Fig. 3 is an end elevation; Fig. 4 is alongitudinal section; Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line55 in Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a plan view, partly in section, of thecarrying frame.

The present embodiment of my invention is in the form of an attachmentwhich may be applied to any bedstead having head and foot pieces 1, 2and a mattress or bottom 3.

The invention comprises a vertically movable and longitudinally tiltinginvalid carrying frame 4 which moves upon the pieces 1, 2 and issupported and adjusted by means of cables 5, 6. The frame 4 consists ofside bars 7 connected by end bars 8 and it is covered by a sheet 9 offlexible material such as fabric which supports the invalid or patient.Said sheet 9 has its side edges looped around the side bars 7, as shownat 10 in Fig. 5; and in order to permit said sheet to be kept stretchedand kept taut, the side bars 7 are adjustably connected to the end bars8. This adjustable connection is clearly shown in Fig. 6 and consists informing slots 11 in the bars 8 to receive clamping bolts 12 in the bars7; and it further consists of adjusting rods 13 having their ends formedwith right and left screw threads to receive nuts 14. The ends of therods 13 enter sockets 15 in the bars 7 and the nuts 14 bear against thelatter so that when the rods are turned in the proper direction the nutswill be moved outwardly upon them to force the bars 7 apart to stretchthe sheet. The bolts 12 are then tightened to clamp the frame inadjusted position to hold the sheet taut. To permit the rods 13 to beeasily turned, they are formed with openings or sockets 16 to receive arod or the like which may be used as an operating lever. To permit theframe to move freely and to prevent it from swinging, I provide betweenthe side bars 7, rollers 17 which engage the inner faces of the head andfoot pieces or boards 1, 2 of the bedstead, as shown.

The sheet 9 may be formed with a suitable opening 18 so that a bed panor chamber may be placed beneath it on the mattress 3 when the frame iselevated, as shown in Fig. 4.

For the purpose of permitting an insane person or other patient to bestrapped on the sheet, I may provide beneath the side bars 7 of theframe, supplemental bars 19 having reduced port-ions or rods 20 to whichlatter the holding straps or bands may be fastened.

The cable 5 which supports the end of the frame 4 nearest the head piece1 of the bedstead is transverse roller or drum 21 journaled in brackets22 suitably secured to said head piece. The cable is preferably appliedto the drum by forming the latter with two transverse openings throughwhich the ends of the cable are passed and said ends are then passedthrough vertical openings 23 in the upper cross bar 8 of the frame andbrought together and united. One of the journals of the roller isextended and carries a crank handle 24 by means of which the drum may berotated to wind the cable thereon or to unwind it for the purpose ofraising or lowering said end of the frame 4. On the same end of theroller 21 is also provided a ratchet wheel 25 adapted to be engaged by aspring pressed pivotally mounted pawl lever 26 arranged upon theadjacent bracket 22. It will be seen that when the finger piece of thepawl orcatch 26 is depressed to retract the latter from engagement withthe ratchet 25 the lever 24 may be readily rotated to wind or unwind theattached to and wound upon a cable. The cable 6 for supporting and ad- Itop board and two depending standards 47,

justing the opposite end. of the frame 4 is similarly attached to asimilar winding drum 27 journaled in the lower portions of uprightbrackets 28 secured to the foot piece or board 2, as clearly shown inFig. 3 of the drawings. The lower extremities of the two branches of thecable 6 are passed through vertical openings in the lower end bar 8 ofthe frame 4, and are brought together and. united, as shown. at 29, inFig. 3, or in the same manner in which the ends of the cable 5 aresecured. A. crank handle 30 is provided upon'the extended journal of thedrum 27 and upon the adjacent end of the latter is also secured aratchet wheel 31 which is engaged by a pawl or catch 32 similar to thepawl 26. By mounting and arranging the cables 5, 6 in this manner, itwill be seen that the invalid carrying frame 4 may be raised or loweredvertically and also inclined longitudinally in either direction so thatthe patient may be supported with his head higher than his feet or viceversa.

For the purpose of supporting, the head and back of the invalid orpatient, a swinging adjustable back rest 33 is provided. The latterconsists of a frame on whiehmay be arranged a removable cushion orcovering 34. Said frame of the back rest consists of a longitudinal bar35 having its ends pivoted at 36 in two side bars or arms 37, whichlatter have their lower ends hingedly connected, as shown at 38, uponthe side bars 7 of the adjustable carrying frame 4. By constructing theback rest frame in this manner, it will be seen that the side bars 37will be adjusted simultaneously with the side bars 7 of the frame 4 whenthe latter is adjusted to stretch the sheet 9. For the purpose ofpermitting the back rest or support 33 to be raised or lowered andsecured at any desired angle, a cable 39 is provided. This cable isattached to a winding drum 40 in the same manner in which the cables 5,6 are attached to their winding drum and its free ends carry hooks 41adapted to be detachably engaged with eyes 42 upon the upper corners ofthe back rest 33, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings. The drum 40 is journaled in the upper portions of the brackets28 and upon the ex tended end of one of its journals is provided a crank43 by means of which the drum may be readily rotated'to wind or unwindthe cable and thereby raise or lower said back rest. On thecorresponding end of the drum 40 is a ratchet wheel 44 which is engagedby a pawl or catch 45 similar to the pawls 26, 32.

46 denotes an adjustable table adjustably mounted on the carrying frame4 so that it may be used for supporting food, work, or the like withinconvenient reach of the invalid or patient. The table 46 consists of a-to the outer faces of the side bars 7.

48 which are slotted longitudinally and adapted to enter guide brackets49 secured The slots 50 in the standards 47 are adapted to receiveclamping bolts 51 which carry and adjustably secure on said standardsblocks 52 to rest upon the upper edges of the brackets 49. By adjustingthe blocks 52 vertically on the slotted standards 47, 48, it will beseen that the table top 46 may be raised or lowered to suit the patientand that by removably arranging the lower ends of the standards 47, 48in the brackets 49, the table may be readily removed from the carryingframe 4 when it is not needed. For the purpose of enabling the standards47, 48 to be received by the brackets 49 after the side bars 7 of theframe 4 have been adjusted to stretch the sheet 9, the standard 48 ismade longitudinally adjustable upon the top board 46. This adjustment iseffected by forming one end of the top board with a longitudinal, slot53 for the reception of a clamping screw 54 having a finger piece at itstop and having its threaded end passing through a clamping strip 55arranged upon the table top or through the slot 53 and into a threadedsocket in the head or enlarged upper end 55 of the standard 48, as moreclearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Vhile, as above stated, the invention may be used upon an ordinarybedstead, it is shown applied to one of special form having a mattress 3arranged on a slidable support 56 which may be drawn out of the frame orbody portion of the bedstead. Said mattress support is in the form of arectangular frame having an open bottom covered with slats 57 to supportthe mattress 3 and having its front side bar 58 forming one of the sidebars or rails of the bedstead, as shown in Fig. 1, and provided withsuitable handles 59 by means of which it may be drawn out of thebedstead. Said front side of the sliding support 56 is also providedwith two legs 60 which support said side of the same when it is drawnout of the bedstead, as shown 'in dotted lines in Fig. 5 of thedrawings. The frame 56 slides upon the slats of the bedstead, as shownin Figs. 4 and 5, and its outward movement is adapted to be limited bystop pins 61 arranged at the ends of its inner side and adapted toengage the corner posts of the head and foot pieces of the bedstead, aswill. be understood upon reference to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. Bymounting the mattress 3 on the removable and retractable support 56, itwill be seen that when the carrying frame 4 is elevated to 'aise thepatient from the mattress, said support 56 may be drawn out from beneaththe sheet 9 to permit the bed to be conveniently made up and also aired.

From the foregoing descrlption taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings,

it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of theinvention will be readily understood without a further explanation.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is: j

1. The combination of a bedstead having head and foot pieces, bracketsattached to the head and foot pieces at the upper corners of the same,winding drums journaled in said brackets and having crank handles andpawl and ratchet devices for preventing retrograde rotation, avertically movable carrying frame having side bars to receive the headand foot pieces of the bedstead between them and connecting bars betweenthe side bars and disposed outside of said head and foot pieces of thebedstead, transverse rollers journaled between the side bars of thecarrying frame and adapted to engage the opposing inner faces of thehead and foot pieces of the bedstead, a sheet stretched between the sidebars of the carrying frame and supporting and adjusting cables attachedat their lower ends to the connecting bars of the stretching frame andat their upper ends to said drums.

2. The combination of a bedstead having head and foot pieces and twoside bars, one of the latter being lower than the other, guides uponsaid head and foot pieces, a mattress carrying frame slidably engagedwith said guides and having at the side adjacent to the lower side barof the bedstead a side piece provided with depending supporting legs, aframe carrying a stretched sheet, and vertically slidable on the headand foot pieces of the bedstead and means carried by the head and footpieces of the bedstead for raising and lowering said sheet carryingframe.

3. The combination of a bedstead having upright head and foot pieces, avertically movable carrying frame comprising side bars and connectingend bars, said side and end bars being adapted to receive the head andfoot pieces of the bedstead between them, the side bars being formedadjacent their ends with opposing sockets, and the end bars being formedat their ends with longitudinal slots, clamping bolts extendingvertically through the side bars and the slots in said end bars, a sheetstretched across the intermediate portions of the side bars, stretchingrods arranged between the side bars and adjacent the end bars, saidstretching rods being formed with oppositely screw threaded ends andadapted to have said ends project into the opposing sockets in said sidebars, nuts engaged with the threaded ends of said stretching rods andbearing against the inner faces of the side bars, whereby the latterwill be moved apart to stretch the sheet connecting them when saidstretching rods are rotated in one direction and means upon the upperportions of the head and foot pieces of the bedstead for raising andlowering said frame.

4. The combination with a bedstead having upright head and foot Jieces,a sheet carrying frame vertically slldable on said head and foot piecesand including end bars and side bars, the latter being adjustable towardand from each other to stretch the sheet on said frame, a swinging backrest consisting of side bars hinged at their lower ends to the side barsof the frame, a connecting longitudinal bar pivoted at its ends to saidside bars of the back rest, whereby the latter will adapt itself to theadjustment of the side bars of the frame, a cushion on the longitudinalbar and side bars of the back rest, means carried by the head and footpieces of the bedstead for adjusting said frame and independent meansfor adjusting said back rest.

5. The combination with a bedstead having upright head and foot pieces,a sheet carrying frame vertically slidable on said head and foot piecesand including end bars and side bars, the latter being adjustable towardand from each other to stretch the sheet on said frame, a swinging backrest consisting of side bars hinged at their lower ends to the side barsof the frame, a connecting longitudinal bar pivoted at its ends to saidside bars of the back rest, whereby the latter will adapt itself to theadjustment of the side bars of the frame, a cushion on the longitudinalbar and side bars of the back rest, means carried by the head and footpieces of the bedstead for adjusting said frame, upright brackets on thefoot piece, a winding drum journaled in said brackets and having a crankhandle and a pawl and ratchet device for preventing retrograde rotation,eyes upon the side bars of the back rest, and a cable attached to saidwinding drums and having hooks at its ends to engage said eyes.

6. The combination of a frame comprising side bars and connecting endbars, said side bars being formed adjacent their ends and on theiropposing inner faces with sockets, and said end bars being formed attheir extremities with longitudinal slots, clamping bolts in theextremities of the side bars and extending through the slots in the endbars, stretching rods having oppositely screw threaded ends to projectinto the opposing sockets in the side bars, nuts engaged with thethreaded ends of said stretching bars to bear against the opposing innerfaces of the side bars, and a sheet stretched across the intermediateportions of the side bars, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

7. The combination with a bedstead having upright head and foot members,of a sheet carrying frame having side bars and &

connecting end bars, the latter being arranged upon the outer faces ofthe head and foot members of the bedstead cylindrical rollers extendingtransversely across said frame and journaled in the side bars, saidrollers being adapted to contact with the opposing inner faces of thehead and foot members of the bedstead, and means carried by said headand foot members of the bedstead for raising and lowering said frame.

8. The combination with a sheet carrying frame having parallel side barsand means for adjusting said side bars toward and from each other, of aback rest consisting of swinging side bars hingedly connected to theside bars of the frame, a longitudinal connecting bar having its endspivoted to said swinging side bars, whereby the back rest will adaptitself to the adjustment of the frame.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

JAMES H. COMER. Vitnesses L. O. LITTLE,

F. A. MILLIGAN.

